The ever-increasing requirements for computational speed have generated unyielding demand for ever-faster and more efficient processors. In particular, processors are increasingly asked to perform mathematical operations, such as calculations and other data manipulation, at greater rates of speed. Processors are also increasingly required to transfer more data at higher rates of speed, as multimedia and other applications employ larger files storing greater amounts of data.
Accordingly, continuing efforts exist to improve the speed and performance of computer processors. In particular, efforts exist to improve both the speed and efficiency with which processors manipulate data, and the speed at which processors transfer I/O data.